When moral philosopher Gary Steiner first adopted his cat Pindar, the vet advised him to put the cat to sleep. A rescue animal, Pindar had tested positive for FIV (feline AIDS) and feline leukemia, and has since developed other chronic health issues, including kidney disease. Steiner decided to keep Pindar, triggering… »7/31/15 12:31pm Friday 12:31pm

By editing a single gene, researchers from South Korea and China have engineered pigs that produce about twice the amount of muscle as normal pigs. The goal is to produce leaner meat and at higher yields, but early results show it could be a long time before this jacked-up pork appears on your dinner plate. »6/30/15 8:00am 6/30/15 8:00am

Several months ago, the UK approved a groundbreaking reproductive technique in which babies are created from the genetic material of three people. The US is now considering the procedure, but Congress’s new spending bill will require religious experts to review a forthcoming report. »6/26/15 2:40pm 6/26/15 2:40pm

A new study shows racehorses have gotten progressively quicker over the past 160 years, and in sprint races, especially. But given the startling number of race-related deaths each year, it’s nothing to be proud of. »6/24/15 12:20pm 6/24/15 12:20pm

In April, NASA Chief scientist Ellen Stofan predicted we would “have strong indications of life beyond Earth within a decade,” and “definitive evidence within 20 to 30 years.” Assuming this timeline is correct, how do we ensure the life we encounter—which astrobiologists predict will be non-sentient—will be respected? »6/18/15 1:40pm 6/18/15 1:40pm

The Jane Goodall Institute, in collaboration with other animal welfare groups, has successfully petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to declare a new rule under which all chimpanzees—both wild and captive—must be protected as an endangered species. »6/15/15 2:40pm 6/15/15 2:40pm

This week’s future is a social experiment. What if Earth had a robotic overlord who decided to ban all weapons? All fights would have to be hand to hand. Would there be less death that way? Less casualties? What counts as a weapon anyway? Listen to the episode to find out! »5/26/15 5:05pm 5/26/15 5:05pm

The lead author of a study claiming that short conversations can dramatically alter a person’s view on same-sex marriage has issued a retraction upon learning his co-author may have forged the data. »5/20/15 12:20pm 5/20/15 12:20pm

Most patients receiving end-of-life care want to avoid aggressive attempts to prolong their life, but medical culture and practices often contradict these wishes. Part of the problem is due to confusion surrounding do-not-resuscitate orders. Here’s what patients really need to know about the “no code.”»5/06/15 12:05pm 5/06/15 12:05pm

The editor of The Medical Journal of Australia has been fired for raising concerns over the decision by the journal’s publisher to outsource production to Elsevier. In response, the journal’s advisory committee has resigned in a show of support. »5/04/15 2:40pm 5/04/15 2:40pm

A new report is accusing the American Psychological Association of secretly collaborating with the U.S. government to make a legal and ethical case for torture in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks. »4/30/15 10:40am 4/30/15 10:40am

The science world was rocked last week by news that geneticists in China had modified the DNA of human embryos. In the face of mounting criticism, science journal Protein & Cell has issued a formal response explaining why it chose to publish the controversial study. »4/29/15 12:40pm 4/29/15 12:40pm

After weeks of speculation, it can finally be confirmed that geneticists in China have modified the DNA of human embryos. It’s a watershed moment in biotech history, but the experiment may ultimately serve as a major setback in the effort to responsibly develop beneficial interventions involving the human germline.»4/23/15 7:30am 4/23/15 7:30am

For the first time in U.S. history, a supreme court has granted a writ of habeas corpus on behalf of two lab chimpanzees, effectively recognizing them as legal persons. While the future of the chimps has not yet been decided, it’s a huge step forward in establishing personhood status for highly sapient animals. »4/21/15 6:45am 4/21/15 6:45am

Do your charitable donations suck? Are you failing to save lives due to greed you don't even realize you have? Do poor people have the right to take all of our stuff? One of the world's most famous philosophers talked about these very topics with us. »4/17/15 3:53pm 4/17/15 3:53pm

In the 1940s, a young American doctor went to Guatemala to do medical experiments. He was funded by the venerable U.S. National Institutes of Health, but he did not make anyone healthy. Instead, he deliberately exposed 1,300 people to sexually transmitted diseases. »4/08/15 1:04pm 4/08/15 1:04pm

Turkish historians have uncovered the oldest-known example of a signed written consent form. Dating back to the 16th Century Ottoman Empire, the discovery suggests the use of these forms — in this case permission to remove a bladder stone — was practiced long before it was adopted in the West. »4/02/15 10:20am 4/02/15 10:20am